Lead Build Reliability Engineering

About the Team: 

The Reliability team at Relativity Space ensures quality is built into every stage of the Terran R design and production process embedding reliability from the very beginning. The team works directly with design manufacturing test and launch teams to stay close to the hardware understand constraints and proactively shape decisions. As the program moves from development into production and scaled operations this is the time to establish the right processes controls and inspections without slowing progress. The team plays a key role in balancing risk fostering a culture of ownership and making sure speed never comes at the cost of reliability. Success means creating a quality system that scales with the Terran R program and Relativity as a whole. 

About the Role:

• Drive complex failure analysis using Fault Tree processes for critical manufacturing and field failures ensuring corrective and preventive actions (CAPA) are validated and sustained to prevent recurrence.
• Integrate Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and predictive modeling into early-stage designs to identify and mitigate risks before production begins.
• Partner with NPI (New Product Introduction) Supply Chain and Operations to resolve reliability issues and influence supplier quality outcomes.
• Define and maintain reliability KPIs such as Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) escapes to next operations and first-pass yield translating data into actionable insights for cross-functional stakeholders.
• Own qualification testing programs including Accelerated Life Testing (ALT) and environmental stress screening to validate product lifespan and reliability targets.
• Lead risk escalation and resolution efforts applying disciplined problem-solving methodologies (e.g. 8D) to drive rapid recovery on quality or capacity issues.
• Provide technical direction and day-to-day guidance to other engineers ensuring alignment on priorities and deliverables. 

About You:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical Aerospace Industrial or a related technical field).
• 7+ years of experience in Build Reliability Manufacturing Engineering or a related discipline ideally within aerospace or a high-reliability/safety-critical industry with demonstrated ownership of complex cross-functional programs.
• Proven ability to lead projects and programs end-to-end including defining scope coordinating across teams and driving execution without direct authority over all contributors.
• Strong working knowledge of quality systems (AS9100/ISO 9001) and core quality tools (APQP PPAP FAIRs PFMEA Control Plans) with experience driving implementation and compliance.
• Demonstrated ability to build processes from the ground up and deploy them across diverse teams. 

Nice to haves but not required:  

• Master's degree in Engineering (Mechanical Aerospace Industrial or a related technical field).
• Professional certification such as Six Sigma Black Belt ASQ Certified Quality Engineer (CQE) or PMP.
• Familiarity with high-volume inspection methods and data-driven acceptance criteria.
• Experience with enterprise applications (PLM ERP MES) and proficiency in data analysis.
• Comfortable operating in high ambiguity setting direction where precedent or data is incomplete. 

What We Do

Relativity Space is on a mission to better connect humanity to space and the universe beyond our planet. Our medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket Terran R will deliver customer payloads to orbit meeting the growing demand for launch capacity. But that’s just the start. Achieving commercial success with Terran R will unlock new opportunities to advance science exploration and innovation pioneering progress that reaches beyond the known.

Why Work With Us

Joining Relativity means becoming part of something where autonomy ownership and impact exist at every level. Here you're not just executing tasks; you're solving problems that haven’t been solved before helping develop a rocket a factory and a business from the ground up.

Gallery